The Deschutes County Board of Commissioners recently adopted the County’s 2020 budget. The Board’s action followed a series of public meetings and hearings by the county’s budget committee in May and June. The new budget totals $428,117,309, with an operating budget of $227,788,787 that excludes unappropriated balances and internal transactions.
The county’s current permanent property tax rate (1.2183 per $1,000 of assessed value) will remain the same in the new fiscal year, and there are no changes in tax rates for the Countywide Law Enforcement District, Rural Law Enforcement District and those used to fund the Extension/4-H District and the Deschutes 9-1-1 Service District. Deschutes County has five property tax levies that it uses to fund County services.
The Board approved the addition of 12 county staff positions, including five in the District Attorney’s office (two Deputy DAs), an additional detective in the Sheriff’s office focusing on marijuana enforcement and a Community Health Specialist who will focus on marijuana education work. The new Sheriff’s detective and Health Specialist position will be funded with money the County receives from statewide recreational marijuana tax revenue.
New capital projects in the 2020 budget include:
- $5 million for the ODOT US-97 Bend North Corridor project
- $2.2 million for NE 17th and Negus Way improvements in Redmond
- $1.7 million for S Canal intersection improvements in Redmond
- $7.8 million for (fiscal years 2020 & 2021) ODOT US 20 and Cook Ave./OB Riley intersection improvements project in Tumalo
- $5 million for the ODOT Terrebonne Refinement Plan
- $500,000 for the ODOT Ward/Hamby Road intersection with Highway 20 safety enhancement project
The county Health Services Department, in partnership with the Sheriff’s Office, will establish a Crisis Stabilization Center in the coming year. The center would give law enforcement officials another option to assist individuals in need of mental health services in lieu of the county jail or hospital emergency room. The proposed 2020 budget includes operating costs for the facility in both the Sheriff’s Office and Health Services Department budgets.
